Apple has been criticised for its conduct by senior judges at London's Court of Appeal.

The iPhone and iPad maker published "false and misleading" material, Sir Robin Jacob said, adding that bosses showed a "lack of integrity".

His written statement came after Apple was ordered to post a new statement on its website acknowledging it had lost an earlier legal fight with Samsung.

The judges agreed with the South Korean company that Apple's original notice did not comply with a Court of Appeal order and should be changed.

"What Apple added was false and misleading," Sir Robin said.

"There is a false innuendo that the UK court's decision is at odds with decisions in other countries whereas that is simply not true."

The judges expressed disbelief at the US company’s request for two weeks to replace the notice for "technical reasons".

"I found that very disturbing: that it was beyond the technical abilities of Apple to make the minor changes required to its own website in less time beggared belief," Sir Robin added, saying he considered the 48 hours granted "generous".

"We said the time could be extended by an application supported by an affidavit from a senior executive explaining the reasons why more was needed," he said.

"In the event no such application was made."

He added: "I hope that the lack of integrity involved in this incident is entirely atypical of Apple."

The other two judges on the case - Lord Justice Longmore and Lord Justice Kitchin - said they agreed with his comments.

Apple and Samsung are engaged in a long-running legal dispute over their tablet computers.

Apple claimed Samsung's Galaxy Tab is too similar to its iPad and infringes copyright.

But the Court of Appeal upheld the original ruling that Samsung's product was not "cool" enough to be confused with Apple's.

Judge Birss ruled that consumers were unlikely to get the tablets confused.

"They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," he said, adding: "They are not as cool."